You hear it and you say
What was that?
And the answer
it’s the plumbing.
Old houses can grunt
and groan for other reasons
like settling
when the foundation
is still trying
to find itself
or the wind blows
extra hard
as equilibrium
adjusts
or the roof
tugs at the attic
and the attic
pulls back
and old houses
have done it
for so long
and they know they’re old.
But the pipes
the need to keep the pressure
after flushing
and refilling
or the sink
to wash the hands
or dishes
or anything
and if there’s a dishwasher
or a washer dryer
the in-house laundromat
provokes the ebb and flow
through conduits
behind the walls
beneath the floors
the coming in
and going out
of household fluids.
Everybody has a version
no matter where they live
the whole world unites
in effluence.
And here I am again
realizing everything
relates to me
as I hear my stomach
making noises
strange and loud
and I say
with everyone who hears
and understands the implications
the simple explanation
It’s the plumbing.